CNBNews

When you first adopt a cat, your primary thinking is to purchase the kitty supplies. The litter box should be at the top of your list. Despite its importance, many people put in a small effort while choosing the litter boxes. 

Judging by their appearances, you might assume that all litter boxes are the same. However, remember that not all cat litter boxes are identical and more importantly, not all of them are equal for every cat. 

Cats are extremely choosy about the depth, shape, size, and other factors of their litter boxes. Just like us humans, cats need litter boxes that are spacious, comfy, and capable of fulfilling their needs. If they don’t like the litter boxes, they will refrain from using them. 

If the litter boxes are too small or big for the cats, they might not consider using them. Many cats are also spooked by the appearance of litter boxes. And if the cats are spooked by the litter boxes, they will likely go to someplace else such as your bed and laundry. If you want to avoid such a situation, you need to ensure that you’re purchasing the best litter boxes for your cats. Here are some tips to choose a great litter box for your cat. 

How Many Litter Boxes You Should Purchase?

Even if you have one cat in your house, you should consider purchasing more than one litter box for them. 

Just like us, cats also prefer to have options. Therefore, it’s good to provide options to your cat so that they can poop properly. It doesn’t matter how many cats you have in your home, it is best if you assign two litter boxes per cat. If the quantity of the litter boxes is small, the cats might go through toileting problems where you need to visit the vet. 

What Should Be the Size of the Litter Boxes?

This is one of the most important things you should consider while choosing litter boxes for your cats. Depending on the size, your cats might like or dislike the litter boxes. 

While choosing litter boxes for your cats make sure the size is big enough so that your cat can get inside and poop comfortably. This way they will have a spare room. 

The space needs to be adequate so that they can dig or move around it, without stepping out. When the litter box is larger, they will be able to enter without stepping on the poop from their earlier visit. 

You need to consider the size of your cat to determine the size of your litter boxes. When the size of the litter boxes is perfect, you will be able to prevent the cats from making any mess. Make sure the cats can easily enter and get out of the litter boxes. 

How Tall Do the Side of the Litter Boxes Need to Be?

The overall height of the litter box is another important thing you should consider while choosing the perfect one. The condition and personality of your cat will dictate the height of the litter box. 

• The average height for most cats: If your cat isn’t a sprayer or doesn’t kick the litter out of the boxes, you need to choose litter boxes that come with a wall of around five to seven inches. You also need to ensure that the cat gets in the litter box without any problem. 
• Box height for sprayer: If your cat is a kicker, sprayers, or fails to aim properly, make sure the sides of the litter boxes are tall enough so that you can decrease the risks of making a mess. As mentioned earlier, the cats should be able to enter and exit the litter boxes without pain. 

This is why you should choose litter boxes that come with three tall sixes that are enough to prevent the poop and pee from hitting the floor of your house. 

• Box height for mobility issues: If you have a kitten or a cat that suffers from physical problems, you need to choose litter boxes that come with a super low side. This will help the cat enter the litter box without suffering from any physical pain. Not to mention, they will be able to poop without any issue. 

How Can You Choose Between Uncovered and Covered Litter Boxes?

This is completely dependent on your cat. There is no specific answer. Some cats like covered boxes, others don’t. You won’t be able to determine which type of litter box is perfect for your cat if you don’t let them choose. However, the covered litter boxes are always better than the uncovered ones. If you want to purchase litter box furniture, make sure you visit https://thepetstaff.com/best-cat-litter-box-furniture/.

Make sure you provide your cat with both the covered and uncovered litter box so that they can choose the best one. Don’t forget to adapt when your cat starts providing you signals regarding their preferences. 

If you’re going to purchase the covered litter boxes, make sure the cats can entry and exit easily. If your cat has arthritis or asthma, you should choose uncovered litter boxes. 

Why You Should Avoid Purchasing the Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes?

You will find different types of self-cleaning litter boxes in the market. Even though they are more expensive, you might be tempted to purchase them even if you need to spend an additional amount of money. You might think that you’ll be spared from cleaning the litter boxes. However, you’re not looking at the disadvantageous side of the self-cleaning litter boxes. Even though you think that the self-cleaning litter boxes are convenient and will help you save time and effort, it will be far less pleasant for your cats as they might be startled or spooked by the automatic litter box. 

Additionally, most of these self-cleaning litter boxes need special and expensive litter. One of the greatest disadvantages of self-cleaning litter boxes is that you won’t be able to check the condition of the poop or pee of your cat. As a result, you might miss noticing their health issues. 

Now that you know some tips to choose the litter boxes, remember that improper cleaning will increase the smell of the litter boxes. Therefore, you need to ensure that the litter box isn’t emitting a bad smell. 

How Can You Reduce the Litter Box Smells?

When your cat poops in the litter boxes, it will undoubtedly become smelly. Here are some great ways to reduce the smell of litter boxes. 

Wash Properly 

If you’re scooping the litter boxes once per day, you won’t face any problem cleaning the litter boxes properly. Make sure you remove the litter from the box once per month and scrub them properly. However, don’t forget to wear protective gloves and masks so that you can protect yourself from any facial pathogens or urine that might cause you infections. As per Shake Deal, make sure you check the gloves properly. 

Consider using water and soap to clean the litter boxes. You should not use bleach or other chemical items while cleaning the litter boxes as your cat might dislike the smell and prevent from using the litter box after the cleaning process. You also need to replace the litter box once a year. 

Scoop Daily 

One of the best ways to reduce the smell from the litter boxes is by removing the smelling substances. Make sure you clean the box at least once a day properly. This will make your cat happy while also improving the indoor smell of your house. Clumping the litter is easy to clean and scoop. You should choose low-dust litter, especially if your cat has asthma. 

If you don’t scoop the litter box daily, both you and your cat will be fed up with the smell. Due to the smelly substances, your cat might not use the litter box anymore unless you conduct a thorough cleaning. However, as mentioned earlier, you should avoid purchasing self-cleaning litter boxes. 

Replace the Boxes

Over time, the litter box that you have purchased will be scratched by your cat. This is pretty normal. However, bacteria will build their nest inside these scratches and create a smelly residence that is bad for both you and your cat. Don’t forget to replace the boxes once a year. 

This is why you need to choose the best litter box. If you have an older cat who suffers from arthritis or asthma, you need to ensure that you’re cleaning the litter box properly. This is because the smell of the litter box might affect them and they might face breathing problems. Sometimes, you also need to be careful while choosing litter for the boxes. Additionally, don’t forget to pay close attention to the ventilation or your cat might end up making a mess. 

Conclusion 

These are the tips you need to follow to choose the best litter box for your cat. When the litter box is perfect, your cat will be able to poop comfortably, which will minimize any risks regarding health issues. If you have any other questions, make sure you comment below to let us know.